Improved sash-fastener



EEicE.

ATENE JOHN C. RANKIN, OF MOUN'I` VERNON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED SASH-FASTENER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,870, (lated April 10, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. RANKIN, of Mount Vernon, in the county of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fastening for Window-Sashes; and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of the strips or bars at one side ofthe upper and lower sashes ot' a window having my invention applied to them. a' fr, Figs. 2 and 3, indicate the line of section. Fig. 2, a horizontal section of Fig. l,

taken in the line y y; Fig. 3, a vertical sec tion of the strips or bars of the two sashes, taken in the saine line xx as Fig. 1,but showing the side pieces in a different position. Fig. 4 is a detached plan or top View of a cat-ch pertaining to the invention; Fig. 5, a horizon-tal section of Fig. 3, taken in the line z z; and Fig. 6, a detached face view of a slotted plate pertaining to the invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to obtain a fastening for window-sashes which will lock the sashes in a closed state, so that neither the upper nor lower one can be opened from the outer side of the window, the invention also admitting of either sash being retained open a short distance for the purpose of ventilation, and so locked that aperson cannot unlock them from the outer side of the window, the window being equally as secure against the entrance of -burglars or improper persons when opened -a triiie `for ventilation as when locked in a closed state.

A A' represent the strips or bars at one side of the two sashes of a Window. The sashes are arranged so as to raise and lower in the usual way, and therefore do not require a special description.

B represents a metal plate which is screwed to the inner surface of the side strip, A, of the upper sash, the lower end of said plate being near the lower end of the strip A, and the plate being of such a length as to extend a short distance above the center of strip A. (See Figs. l and 3.) This plate B is slotted vertically :near its whole length, as shown clearly in Fig. 6 at a, and at the lower end of said slot there is a short cross or horizontal slot, b, communicating with a. The plate B is let in the strip or bar A, so that the outer surface of B will be iiush with the inner surface of A, and said plate is fitted over a recess, c, made in A, which recess extends the whole length of the slota in the plate B, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the upper end of the strip or bar A ot' the lower sash there is fitted a metal box, O, the end of which adjoining the strip or bar A of the upper sash is open. This open end of Vthe box O is flush with the outer surface of the cleat or projection D, which extends across the upper rail of the lower sash, and the upper surface of said box is tlnsh with the upper surface of the strip or bar A and cleat or projection D, as shown in Figs. l and 3.

E is a slide which is tted within the box O, and is allowed to work freely therein. This slide E, near its outer end, is notched at each side at corresponding points, as shown at d d in Figs. 2, et, and 5, and a spring, F, is attached to the upper surface of the slide, said spring having a button, e, secured to its outer end by a screw, f, the head of which projects above the button, as shown in Figs. l and 3.

In the top of the box O there is made a circular opening, g, at such a point that when the button c ts into or is in line with said hole the -end ofthe slide E will be in the cross-slot b at the lower end of the vertical slot ain plate B and secure the two sashes in a closed state, the upper sash being prevented from moving downward and the lower sash prevented from moving upward, as will be fully understood by referring to Figs. 1 and 2.

The slide E is prevented from casually moving on account of the spring F having a tendencyto keep the button c in the hole or opening g in the top ofthe box C. By depressing the button e below the opening g and drawing it back so that the head of serewf will t in a notch, h, in the outer edge of g, the end of the slide E will be drawn out of the cross-slot b, and the sashes may be raised and lowered as if no fastening of anykind were applied to them. By shoving the button c forward so that the head of screwf will bear against the inner edge of the opening g, the end of the slide E will be shoved sufficiently far into the cross-slot b to bring the notches d d in the edges of the slide in line with the sides of the slot et of plate B, (see Fig. 5,) and hence either sash may be moved a distance equal to the length of said slot.

In Fig. 3 the upper sashis shown lowered to its fullest extent under this adjustment of slide E, and it is designed to have the open space above the upper sash, when the latter is thus lowered, sufiicicntly narrow to prevent any one, even a child, from getting through. The arm ot' aperson may be extended through the full length from the outer side ot' the window Iand the button c of the slide E reached; but the latter cannot be shoved back without the upper sash is fully raised in order to bring the cross-slot bin line with the slide. Hence it will be seen that the upper sash may be thus lowered for ventilating purposes with perfect security, for it is eftcctually locked in said lowered position and cannot be unlocked without raising the sash to its fullest extent, and that, of course, can only be done with a view ot' unlocking from the inner side of the window. In this position of the slide E the lower sash may be raised instead of lowering the upper one, the open space underneath the lower sash corresponding in dimensions with the open space above the upper sash when lowered. In this case the lower sash will require to be retained or held up by any suitable fastening'.

I would remark that one of the partseither the plate B or the slide E-inay be attached to the inner side of the window-frame and the other part to one ot' the sashes, and the saine end attained so far as the locking of the sash in a partially-opened state is concerned; but this would not be so desirable a plan, as each sash would require a separate device it' it be desired to have both capable of being locked in a partially-open state. v

Having thus described in yinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The slotted plateB and the slide E, or their equivalents, applied to the saslies of a window, substantially as described.

2. The slide E, with its notches d d, spring F, and button e, the box C, and the platelB, provided with the vertical slot a and crossslot b, all arranged and applied to the sashes substantially as described.

JNO. G. RANKIN.

Witnesses AMos GHINEY, W. H. BRoUGHToN. 

